DATABASE SYSTEMS AND INTERACTIVE USER INTERFACES FOR DYNAMIC INTERACTION WITH, AND COMPARISON OF, DIGITAL MEDICAL IMAGE DATA
Database systems and techniques are disclosed for accessing data stores of digital medical images, processing the digital images, and displaying the digital images to efficiently provide information in an interactive user interface. The disclosure may advantageously provide efficient and rapid dynamic interaction with digital images accessed from one or more databases to enable user detection of differences between related digital images. Interactive user interfaces may be dynamically updated to provide rapid comparison of digital images. Further, digital images from multiple data sources may be automatically sorted by the system according to attributes associated with the images and rules and/or preferences of the user. In an embodiment the user may select a digital image from a first data source, and the system automatically determines and displays one or more comparison images from other image data sources. Images may additionally be automatically registered and/or matched to enable more efficient comparison and evaluation.
1 . A database computing system for processing digital medical images, the computing system comprising:
an electronic display;
an input device;
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store software instructions; and
one or more computer processors in communication with the electronic display, the input device, and the non-transitory computer-readable medium, the one or more computer processors configured to execute the software instructions in order to cause the computing system to:
receive an indication of a selection of a first medical image of a first image series of a first medical exam associated with a patient, wherein the first image series includes a first plurality of medical images;
determine, based on one or more matching rules, a comparison image series of a comparison medical exam for comparison with the first image series, wherein the comparison image series includes a second plurality of comparison images, and wherein the comparison medical exam is also associated with the patient and was acquired at a time different than the first medical exam;
identify, based on one or more attributes of the first medical image, a first comparison image of the comparison image series for comparison with the first medical image;
generate user interface data useable for displaying a user interface on the electronic display, the user interface including at least:
the first medical image of the first image series displayed in a first image pane in a first location; and
the first comparison image of the second image series displayed in a second image pane in a second location;
in response to a first user input indicating a direction of movement within the first image series:
update the user interface data such that, in the user interface, the first medical image is replaced with a second medical image of the first image series that is adjacent to the first medical image in the first image series, wherein the second medical image replaces the first medical image in the first image pane;
identify, based on one or more attributes of the second medical image, a second comparison image of the comparison image series for comparison with the second medical image; and
further update the user interface data such that, in the user interface, the first comparison image is replaced with the second comparison image, wherein the second comparison image replaces the first comparison image in the second image pane; and
in response to a second user input indicating selection of a second image series of the first medical exam:
determine, based on one or more attributes of the second medical image, a first medical image of the second image series for display;
update the user interface data such that, in the user interface, the second medical image is replaced with the first medical image of the second image series, wherein the first medical image of the second image series replaces the second medical image of the first image series in the first image pane;
identify, based on one or more attributes of the second image series, a second comparison image series of the comparison medical exam for comparison with the second image series;
identify, based on one or more attributes of the first medical image of the second image series, a first comparison image of the second comparison image series for comparison with the first medical image of the second image series; and
further update the user interface data such that, in the user interface, the second comparison image of the comparison image series is replaced with the first comparison image of the second comparison image series, wherein the first comparison image of the second comparison image series replaces the second comparison image of the comparison image series in the second image pane.
2 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the first comparison image of the comparison image series is further identified based on one or more matching rules.
3 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the second comparison image of the comparison image series is further identified based on one or more matching rules.
4 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the first comparison image of the second comparison image series is further identified based on one or more matching rules.
5 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the first location of the first image pane and the second location of the second image pane are adjacent to one another.
6 . A database computing system for processing digital images, the computing system comprising:
an electronic display;
an input device;
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store software instructions; and
one or more computer processors in communication with the electronic display, the input device, and the non-transitory computer-readable medium, the one or more computer processors configured to execute the software instructions in order to cause the computing system to:
display, on the electronic display, a first medical image of a first image series of a first medical exam in a first image pane, wherein the first medical exam is associated with a patient;
display, on the electronic display, a first medical image of a comparison image series of a second medical exam in a second image pane, wherein the comparison medical exam is also associated with the patient, wherein the second medical exam was acquired at a time different from the first medical exam, and wherein the first medical image of the comparison image series matches the first medical image of the first image series in at least one attribute such that the first medical image of the first image series and first medical image of the comparison image series may be usefully compared for diagnosis;
in response to a first user input indicating a change from the first medical image of the first image series to another medical image of the first image series:
replace, in the first image pane, the first medical image of the first image series with the another medical image of the first image series; and
replace, in the second image pane, the first medical image of the comparison image series with another medical image of the comparison image series, wherein the another medical image of the comparison image series matches the another medical image of the first image series in at least one attribute such that the another medical image of the first image series and the another medical image of the comparison image series may be usefully compared for diagnosis; and
in response to a second user input indicating a change from the first image series of the first medical exam to another image series of the first medical exam:
replace, in the first image pane, the first medical image of the first image series with the another medical image of the another image series of the first medical exam; and
replace, in the second image pane, the first medical image of the comparison image series with another medical image of another image series of the second medical exam, wherein the another medical image of the another image series of the second medical exam matches the another medical image of the another image series of the first medical exam in at least one attribute such that the another medical image of the another image series of the first medical exam and the another medical image of the another image series of the second medical exam may be usefully compared for diagnosis.
7 . The computing system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more computer processors are configured to execute the software instructions in order to further cause the computing system to:
in response to a third user input, freeze at least the second image pane such that a medical image displayed in the second image pane is not replaced in response to the first and/or second user inputs.
8 . The computing system of claim 6 , wherein the first and second image panes are adjacent to one another.
9 . The computing system of claim 6 , wherein the second medical exam was acquired before the first medical exam.
10 . A method comprising:
by one or more computer processors configured to execute software instructions:
displaying, on an electronic display, a first medical image of a first image series of a first medical exam in a first image pane, wherein the first medical exam is associated with a patient;
displaying, on the electronic display, a first medical image of a comparison image series of a second medical exam in a second image pane, wherein the comparison medical exam is also associated with the patient, wherein the second medical exam was acquired at a time different from the first medical exam, and wherein the first medical image of the comparison image series matches the first medical image of the first image series in at least one attribute such that the first medical image of the first image series and first medical image of the comparison image series may be usefully compared for diagnosis;
in response to a first user input indicating a change from the first medical image of the first image series to another medical image of the first image series:
replacing, in the first image pane, the first medical image of the first image series with the another medical image of the first image series; and
replacing, in the second image pane, the first medical image of the comparison image series with another medical image of the comparison image series, wherein the another medical image of the comparison image series matches the another medical image of the first image series in at least one attribute such that the another medical image of the first image series and the another medical image of the comparison image series may be usefully compared for diagnosis; and
in response to a second user input indicating a change from the first image series of the first medical exam to another image series of the first medical exam:
replacing, in the first image pane, the first medical image of the first image series with the another medical image of the another image series of the first medical exam; and
replacing, in the second image pane, the first medical image of the comparison image series with another medical image of another image series of the second medical exam, wherein the another medical image of the another image series of the second medical exam matches the another medical image of the another image series of the first medical exam in at least one attribute such that the another medical image of the another image series of the first medical exam and the another medical image of the another image series of the second medical exam may be usefully compared for diagnosis.
11 . The method of claim 10 further comprising:
by the one or more computer processors configured to execute software instructions:
in response to a third user input, freezing at least the second image pane such that a medical image displayed in the second image pane is not replaced in response to the first and/or second user inputs.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first and second image panes are adjacent to one another.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the second medical exam was acquired before the first medical exam.
14 . A database computing system for processing digital medical images, the computing system comprising:
an electronic display;
an input device;
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium configured to store software instructions; and
one or more computer processors in communication with the electronic display, the input device, and the non-transitory computer-readable medium, the one or more computer processors configured to execute the software instructions in order to cause the computing system to:
access a plurality of medical images associated with a plurality of medical exams of a patient;
analyze the plurality of medical images to determine, for each medical image, respective attributes of the medical images;
sort the plurality of medical images into a plurality of image series based on the attributes of the medical images, wherein the plurality of image series includes at least a first image series and a second image series;
analyzing the first and second image series to determine pairs of medical images of the respective image series that are related to one another;
generate user interface data useable for displaying a user interface on the electronic display, the user interface including at least:
a first medical image of the first image series displayed in a first image pane in a first location; and
a first medical image of the second image series displayed in a second image pane in a second location; and
in response to a first user input indicating a direction of movement within the first image series:
update the user interface data such that, in the user interface, the first medical image of the first image series is replaced with a second medical image of the first image series that is adjacent to the first medical image of the first image series in the first image series, wherein the second medical image of the first image series replaces the first medical image in the first image pane;
identify, based on one or more attributes of the second medical image of the first image series, a second medical image of the second image series for comparison with the second medical image of the first image series; and
further update the user interface data such that, in the user interface, the first medical image of the second image series is replaced with the second medical image of the second image series, wherein the second medical image of the second image series replaces the first medical image of the second image series in the second image pane.
15 . The computing system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more computer processors are further configured to execute the software instructions in order to cause the computing system to:
in response to a second user input indicating a direction of movement within the first image series:
update the user interface data such that, in the user interface, the first medical image of the first image series is replaced with a second medical image of the first image series that is adjacent to the first medical image of the first image series in the first image series, wherein the second medical image of the first image series replaces the first medical image in the first image pane;
determine, based on one or more attributes of the second medical image of the first image series, that no medical image of the second image series corresponding to the second medical image of the first image series exists; and
further update the user interface data such that, in the user interface, the first medical image of the second image series is replaced with a placeholder in the second image pane.
16 . The computing system of claim 15 , wherein the placeholder comprises at least one of a blank image or an absence of an image.
17 . The computing system of claim 14 , wherein analyzing the plurality of medical images to determine, for each medical image, respective attributes of the medical images comprises:
analyzing the plurality of medical images to determine, for each medical image, respective view types of the medical images;
18 . The computing system of claim 14 , wherein each image series of the plurality of image series comprises a series of medical images having a common view type
19 . The computing system of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of medical images comprise chest radiograph images.
20 . The computing system of claim 14 , wherein analyzing the first and second image series to determine pairs of medical images of the respective image series that are related to one another comprises:
analyzing the first and second image series to determine pairs of medical images of the respective image series that are from a same exam and/or acquired at a similar time.
21 . The computing system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more computer processors are further configured to execute the software instructions in order to cause the computing system to:
determine the first and second locations of the respective first and second image panes based on one or more user preferences.
22 . The computing system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more computer processors are further configured to execute the software instructions in order to cause the computing system to:
determine an association between the first image pane and the first image series based on one or more user preferences.
23 . The computing system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more computer processors are further configured to execute the software instructions in order to cause the computing system to:
registering the medical images of the first image series so as to enable efficient comparison of the medical images of the first image series.